Philip meyer



(No Model.)

P. MEYER.

BILL AND LETTER FILE.

Patented Sept. 25, 1888.

INVENTOH WITNESSES:

W z .D/ 4

N. PUERSE Phoh-Lilhugnpher. Wahingfinn, D.C.

Unrrnn STATES PATENT Orrien.

PHILIP MEYER, OF NE\VARK, N E\V JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES L. TOBIN, OFSAME PLACE.

BILL AND LETTER FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,133, datedSeptember 25, 1888.

Application filed May 1, 1888. Serial No. 272,488. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP MEYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Im provements in Letter and Bill Files;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

. and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertaius to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The purpose of the invention illustrated in the accompanying sheet ofdrawings, which relates to improvements in letter and bill files, is toprovide a simple, cheap, and positively and automatically acting devicefor retaining the clip or clamping-plate in an elevated position on theboard while removing or adjusting the papers.

In said sheet of drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in each of the views, Figure 1 is a plan ofmy improved file, the clip of which is in its normal holding position.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said clip and a portion of the board towhich the same is secured, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectionalview of Fig. 1, taken through m. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3,illustrating the operation of the catch when the clip is held in itselevated position; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the grav- A insaid views indicates the back board, to which the clamping mechanism issecured, and upon which the letters and bills are placed undcrthe clampor clip. To said board is secured the base b of the clamping device,from which rises the standard b, having slots in the top thereof, andthrough which said standard extends a rod, 0, around which are coiledthe springs d and d, and on the ends of which is journaled the pivotedclip e outside of the standard I), as shown in Fig. 2. One end of eachof the coiled springs engages with the clip, substantially as shown inFigs. 1 and 3, and acts to hold the same in contact with the board A andto hold the letters, 850., between the clip and board. As thusconstructed and arranged the clip rotates around the rod 0 as a center.On the top of the standard is pivotally arranged a catch, one end, 9',of which is hooked and the opposite end, 9 is weighted, whereby the saidcatch is caused to assume the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which isin its normal position when the clip is down upon the board. In the clipis an opening, 6, which is so placed that as the clip is raised from theboard and turned to the position shown in Fig. 4 the hooked end of thegravity-catch enters said opening and the under side of said hookcatches on the edge of said opening, and, as the clip tends to turn downtoward the board, the side of the opening opposite to that which engageswith the under side of the hook strikes the back of the hook, as shownin-Fig. 4, and thus locks the clip in a raised position, as indicated insaid figure. As shown in said last-named figure, it will be seen thatthe top surface, 9 ot' the hook is curved, so that when pressure isapplied to the top of said hook the same is pushed down through theopening 6, and the clip is thereby released and free to return to itsholding position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, inclusive.

The weighted end of the gra vity-catch holds the same always in positionto engage with the clip, and when the hooked end of the catch isdepressed. the said weighted end returns the catch to its normal lockingposition.

The manner of pivoting the gravity-catch in operative relation to theclip may vary from the construction shown in the drawings, as I do notdesire to limit my invention in this respect.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure is- 1. In aletter and bill file, the combination, with the pivoted clip having anopening, e, therein,'of a catch pivoted beneath said clip and engagingautomatically with said opening when the same is depressed, as and forthe purposes set forth.

2. In a letter and bill file, the combination of the spring-actuatedholding clamp or clip pivotally secured to suitable standards, and

provided with an opening, 0', therein back of I In testimony that Iclaim the invention set the pivotal point of said clip, and a catchforth above I have hereunto set my hand this pivoted beneath saidopening, and having a 28th day of April, 1888. weighted end and a hookedend, which en- IHILIP MEYER. 5 gages automatically with the opening 6when Vitnesses:

the some is depressed, for the purposes set FREDK. G. FRAENTZEL,

forth. JAMES L. TonIN.

